Virginia Tech M.F.A. Deep-Dive
Everything you need to know about the MFA program (Fiction & Poetry) @ Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, VA.
This is our first ever MFA deep-dive…
and it makes sense we’ve picked VT first, doesn’t it? For one, Karan’s going there! They were accepted as a candidate in Fiction for the Virginia Tech Creative Writing M.F.A. program this fall. I still remember when we got the call. Actually, several missed calls. In the middle of the night. Because we were living in India then and the time difference is, literally, night and day. I woke Karan up frantically (well, had to be quiet because of our Ana, of course) and whisper-yelled “I think you’re in!” Groggy but excited, they swiped through several dozen notifications. The first thing they did was call back Bob Hicok, professor at VT but also Karan’s reason for constantly falling in love with poetry. Ever the quiet yet hilarious smooth-talker, Bob said, “I’ve told them they’ve made a terrible mistake!”
Here’s a really cool insider scoop: Karan had actually applied to VT back in 2022 also and been waitlisted. They hadn’t been told they were waitlisted. Just got a message inviting them to a Zoom meeting for prospective students. But in the end, they didn’t make the cut that year. Did they get in this year because they’re a better writer now? How many months does it take to go from being a waitlisted writer to an accepted writer? It’s a mystery. But also, it doesn’t freakin’ matter. These things are strange and mysterious and we all need to remember that the good things will come and sometimes the bad things become good if we just change our outlook.
Karan spent much of 2023 writing and submitting and publishing with a deep hunger. And ultimately, they got into their dream school. It’s a success story I’m particularly proud of. I still remember revising and editing just one 500-word Statement of Purpose maybe well over 500 times!
Anyhow, without further ado, our deep-dive is below. In the beginning, I present some of the basic things you need to know about the VT MFA program. I have covered a lot of these in the very exhaustive, very cool Sub Club list I did at the beginning of this week.
We’ve also got more information below on select faculty and notable alumni. And, as a special bonus, next week we’ll have an Alumni Spotlight on the amazing Yasmine Ameli, a successful and savvy VT M.F.A. 2020 graduate. She answers some of our questions about her experience at Virginia Tech, and also about how things have progressed now post-MFA.
Yamine Ameli (she/her) is an Iranian American poet and essayist based in Massachusetts. Passionate about democratizing writing, publishing, and arts funding resources, she works as a holistic writing coach for creative writers seeking guidance on cultivating sustainable writing practices. Her writing has appeared in POETRY, Ploughshares, The Sun, the Southern Review, and elsewhere; and her projects have received support from Poets and Writers, Reese’s Book Club, MASS MoCA, Monson Arts, Franconia Sculpture Park, the Edith Wharton House, the Straw Dog Writers Guild, and the Oak Spring Garden Foundation. Find her on Instagram @yasmineameli.
And remember, if you’re thinking of applying for an MFA this year…
or want to get a head start on next year applications, the ONLY POEMS team offers application consultations and reviews at a much lower cost than what college application agencies charge! Please check out the details for that here.
Alright, here we go!